Bear protection handguns?

[3chester]

"Handgun Bear Hunt @ Stephan Lake Lodge", on Youtube, about 20 minutes long. This guy from the S&W factory takes on a 9ft Grizzly Bear with a S&W 500 Mag, one shot, 440 Corbon bullet,and it's a dead Grizzlybar. It's good hunt they see about 30 bears on the trip, worth a watch.

 

[Little Church Mouse]

You'll get more opportunities to get that "One brain shot" with a 10mm than with a 500 or 460. I can't get more than two good shots off with my 460 on a moving target advancing at me at 20 yards real accurately. I can get 7-8 shots off with my 10mm with the same scenario AND shot placement is much better. I'm sure there are guys that can but I'm not one of them. I'd much rather have a 460 hit a bear in the head than a 10mm but I'm not much of a gambler. I'll roll the dice with the Glock. I'm all for anything that shoots best for someone. For me, it's the 10mm.

"I'm all for anything that shoots best for someone". - That is the key, IMO. Much more important is the bullet it is firing. Wholeheartedly agree that it must be hard cast lead for pentration. Hollowpoints have no place in a tool for bear defense.

 

[M1A1ABRAMS]

 

[Hank71]

Hello
Next season I plan to hunt deer in Arkansas. I am told that from time to time bears pass through the lease. With this in mind, what is a good, dependable handgun (that won't break the bank) to carry for protection? I hear that the Glock 20 (10 mm) is a solid choice. Any other guns to consider?

myself up until about 2017 just carried a 1911 .45acp with 230 grn round. I now carry when hunting, walking or camping a glock 40 10mm with 6" slide 155grn bullett moving at 1550fps. I like this round because it is very accurate and tight groups out to 125 meters.

 

[buzby]

"I'm all for anything that shoots best for someone". - That is the key, IMO. Much more important is the bullet it is firing. Wholeheartedly agree that it must be hard cast lead for pentration. Hollowpoints have no place in a tool for bear defense.

Why is that?

Any ammo that passes the FB barrier test passes through;

2 sheets of 20ga steel and 12-18" of penetration in ballistic gel.

3/4" plywood and 12-18" of penetration in ballistic gel.

1/4 automotive glass at a 45° angle and 12-18" of penetration in ballistic gel.

Seems like plenty to go through one layer of bone.

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

Why do you say not for bear? Did you check out the podcast I linked above? Might change your mind. Bear skulls aren't impenetrable.

Well the 22mag is Awesome and a PMR 30 has 30 lead bullets to shoot at a Bear, but trying to hit a charging bear in the head? I would rather have a 44 mag or larger for body shots.

 

[Mark37082]

There is just something that draws me into these threads. Maybe it is the respect and fascination with critters that are higher on the food chain than me. The shear power, speed, and tenacity of bears is admirable and unnerving. I hope I am never in a position to take lethal or non lethal defense against a bear intent on doing me harm. I'll continue to go with the SW500 when in the position of spending time in bear country. I find myself practicing drawing and dry firing the revolver more after reading these threads.

 

[Critter Picker]

Last time I was in grizz country,I was trout fishing. Carried what I had. This was a 44 mag loaded with a 335 gas checked cast bullet from my NEI mould. Cast from 1/2 Wheelwright and 1/2 linotype. Don't rember exact load,but it was Blue Dot powder. It would place 5 shots @200 meters you could cover with your hand. I slept well at night. My brother in law told me it wasn't enough gun for grizz,but I told him it beat the heck out of trying to switch them to death with a fly rod.

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

I saw a video not too long ago where a guy made a Bear Target and had it hooked up to a cable system to simulate a "CHARGING BEAR".
He would be standing with his back to the bear and then someone else would release the bear target. He then had to turn, pull his pistol out of a holster and shoot the charging bear. It was amazing on how the bear got to him while he was shooting. I'll have to do a search on Utube to find it.

 

[Critter Picker]

I saw a video not too long ago where a guy made a Bear Target and had it hooked up to a cable system to simulate a "CHARGING BEAR".
He would be standing with his back to the bear and then someone else would release the bear target. He then had to turn, pull his pistol out of a holster and shoot the charging bear. It was amazing on how the bear got to him while he was shooting. I'll have to do a search on Utube to find it.

I saw that also. It's amazing how fast that bear target got to him!

 

[WYO300RUM]

Even better

Read this morning. USFW Fed's not even talking to Wyoming G&F yet...

Airdropping Grizzlies: When Bears Get Reintroduced To Cascades, They'll Be Helicoptered In

When grizzlies are reintroduced to the Cascades, they will likely be airdropped. That doesn't mean huge, roaring bears will be parachuting from the sky, unfortunately. But the process is still pretty cool.

cowboystatedaily.com

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

This is one video out there is another really good one out there. Makes you think about how good you can shoot a charging bear!

 

[WYO300RUM]

I like to carry a handgun while bow hunting and since it came out it is usually the pmr 30. 2 mag 60 rnds total light weight "great survival tool. If I hunted in big bear country with a I would still carry the pmr but I would add something like a 4' 8 shot revolver 357 mag air weight of course, Heavy for caliber hard cast lead bullets. If i was in a known problem bear area with a bow instead of a rifle the revolver may turn into a short barrel 12 ga. with number 1 buck in a 3" shells. I don't want to carry a giant hand cannon when there is a no to very low chance of an encounter. If I had to pick a handgun to shoot a determined charging large bear it would most likely be a long heavy barreled shroud, muzzle brake. Steel "no air weights" 500 s&w with heavy hard cast lead, that way at least if you missed the CNS your hits would still do life ending damage or skeletal structure damage. Not to mention the deafening, eye brow torching muzzle blast. Of course I would want to shorten the hand gun barrels to 2" when the bear got to hand to claw fighting distance. No matter what gun you pick at least your in the fight and are able to be proactive in your survival, that ability to defend give the mind and body a task to prevent the feeling of helplessness and panic that one would have with no weapon. Just my thoughts and choices.

A buddy of mine in Az. bowhunts coues whitetail in area 23. He uses a tree stand. Few years ago a sow black bear with a cub was walking past stand. He got this on video with phone in one hand and a 9mm in other. The sow looked up and instantly ran up the tree to bottom of stand. Snarling and hissing. He didn't shoot and it got down and took off. He said if that sow came over the bottom of stand he'd of shot her. I guess he felt under gunned. He bought a 10mm after that. Year later a fire went through there. Melted his tree stand.

 

[buzby]

Well the 22mag is Awesome and a PMR 30 has 30 lead bullets to shoot at a Bear, but trying to hit a charging bear in the head? I would rather have a 44 mag or larger for body shots.

It takes a relatively long time for an animal expire from a rifle shot to the vitals. Upwards of 30 seconds. That's a long time to be attacked by a bear. And every pistol is doing less damage than a rifle. CNS shot is instant off button.
At least if it's charging, it's coming at you head first!